1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an animation distributing technology. More particularly, it relates to a method, server and system for distributing animation via a network.
2. Description of the Related Art
The Internet has created environments in which diverse information that never existed in the past can now be provided through various Internet services. For instance, on-demand distributor broadcasting, an idea that has existed for a long time, has become a reality due to the advancement of computer technology and network infrastructure.
Motion pictures, including live action, animation or the like, (hereinafter referred to as animation) are normally composed by displaying or switching between a plurality of frame pictures at a predetermined rate. When animation is distributed (broadcast) on television or the like, many frame pictures are transmitted at a standard rate depending on various factors, including the type of distribution. On the Internet, it is generally preferable to reduce the amount of data transmitted, even though the speed of communication via the Internet has become fairly high. Even in cases where data are first downloaded to a local storage medium (such as a disk in a PC) and the animation is then reproduced on the PC, there still are significant economical and practical constraints on the distribution if the amount of data is excessively large.
Moreover, in distribution via the Internet there is a risk that the animation might be misappropriated by third parties who are not the intended receivers of the animation.